Douluo Continent: The Underworld Emperor Halosa Lets Three Fly

Chapter 147 The Plan to Bomb Shrek City (4.5K)

The killing intent that had solidified within the Eye of the Ruins slowly dissipated as the silent confrontation between Ye Lan and the Demon Emperor finally reached a delicate balance.

Ye Lan waved his hand gently, and the nine undead knights, exuding an ominous aura, disappeared silently into the torn spatial rift as if blending into the shadows.

The two distinct factions of evil spirit masters below were also relieved, and at the signal of their respective leaders, they quickly withdrew from the oppressive hall with expressions of surprise and uncertainty.

The Demon Emperor gave Ye Lan a deep look, her long purple-gold dress brushing against the cold ground. She turned and walked towards an inconspicuous archway on the side of the hall. Ye Lan's lips curled slightly, and she followed with languid and elegant steps.

Passing through the archway, the view suddenly opened up. In stark contrast to the eerie atmosphere of the Eye of the Ruins, this was a strange garden suspended in the force field of the deep sea.

Outside the enormous transparent dome lies the deep blue sea and luminous creatures swimming around, casting ever-changing light and shadow.

The garden is devoid of sunlight, yet it is home to countless strangely shaped deep-sea magical plants that emit fluorescent light in cool hues such as deep blue, dark purple, and pale green, illuminating the entire space in a dreamlike and fantastical way.

The air was filled with a complex aroma that blended exotic floral scents with the salty smell of the sea.

In the center of the garden, two chairs of the same material stand facing each other next to a round table made of polished white deep-sea coral.

If an outsider were to intrude, they would likely be lost in the breathtaking scenery and the enchanting beauty of the two stunning women. The allure of the demonic plants, intertwined with the dark allure of the night and the majestic authority of the Demon Emperor in the deep sea, creates a breathtaking yet dangerous and seductive scene.

Ye Lan casually sat down on a coral chair, her posture languid, as if the tense standoff had never occurred. She picked up a demonic flower emitting a ghostly blue phosphorescence, held it to her nose, and lightly inhaled its scent. A hint of amusement flickered in her eyes as she looked at the Demon Emperor opposite her: "Your Majesty, the Demon Emperor, is quite shrewd. Residing deep within the Void, your tentacles reach into the shadows of the Abyss Plane. Even from Xie Qinggao's tower in the Spirit Pagoda, 'friends' have come seeking cooperation?"

Her tone was ambiguous, neither approving nor sarcastic.

The Demon Queen sat upright, the hem of her purple-gold dress resembling solidified deep-sea water. She picked up a teacup made of a deep purple seashell from the table, which contained a peculiar drink that emitted a warm aroma and was the color of lava, and took a small sip.

The bitter, burning liquid slid down her throat. She put down her teacup, her voice regaining its deep, calm tone: "It's all driven by self-interest. We're all just flies drawn to filth, what's the difference? This matter involves many things, and I can't decide it alone. I need your help. What do you think of this 'cooperation'?"

Ye Lan did not answer immediately. She crushed the demon flower in her hand, and the dark blue juice stained her fair fingertips, emitting a faint energy fluctuation.

She knew perfectly well what the "cooperation" the Demon Emperor spoke of was—it was the audacious plan, transmitted through secret channels by the Spirit Pagoda's Eternal East Wind, to unite with the Holy Spirit Cult and "purify" Shrek City in one fell swoop. Behind this, of course, was the tacit approval or even the encouragement of certain high-ranking officials in the Douluo Federation.

Shrek Academy, a behemoth that looms over all the forces on the Douluo Continent! It claims to be just an academy, uninvolved in politics, yet its influence, its network of graduates spanning the continent, its transcendent status above federal law, and especially its despair-inducing top-tier martial prowess—Yun Ming!

And then there's the Tang Clan (Zang Xin), who shares the same lineage and whose headquarters are both located in Shrek City! And Cao Dezhi, who, although in the Blood God Legion, comes from the Tang Clan and has a clear stance! Not to mention Chen Xinjie, who seems neutral but whose bloodline is actually marked with the "Sea God"!

This isn't some kind of academy; it's clearly a country within a country, a monster supported by top-tier martial arts, existing outside the rules!

It's inevitable that the Spirit Pagoda and the Federation want to overthrow it. But what will be the cost? What are the risks? Ye Lan quickly weighed the options in his mind.

Yun Ming's strength is unfathomable, Cang Xin is treacherous, and Chen Xinjie is cunning—she understands the principle that failing to kill a snake in one fell swoop will only result in further harm. The Holy Spirit Cult's counterattack, exposed to the light of day, will be devastating.

"Wait!" Ye Lan's fingers, which were crushing the demonic flower, suddenly stopped, and a ridiculous glint flashed in his eyes.

"What do I have to worry about? We are evil spirit masters!" This thought flashed through her mind like lightning. "How many years has the Federation's wanted poster been up? The Sea God Pavilion's kill orders could fill the Abyss of Return! When have we ever been afraid of retaliation? When have we ever been afraid of being exposed?" A cruel smile bloomed on her lips.

What they want is chaos! What they want is destruction! What they want is to make those self-righteous bastards run into a mess! Taking down Shrek Academy, the toughest nut to crack, is itself the heaviest blow to the will of the Douluo Continent! And "Okay." Ye Lan's voice broke the silence of the garden, crisp and decisive, even carrying a hint of anticipation.

The Demon Queen's hand holding the cup paused almost imperceptibly. She raised her eyes, a clear hint of surprise flashing in her purplish-gold pupils. She had never expected Ye Lan to agree so readily! You see, when she previously proposed a large-scale blood sacrifice to accumulate power, Ye Lan had firmly opposed it, considering it "shortsighted" and "wasteful."

This blood sacrifice plan, which involves the destruction of Shrek City, is larger in scale and riskier, and she actually agreed to it?

Ye Lan caught the Demon Emperor's surprise, and his smile deepened, carrying an all-knowing cunning: "What? Surprised?"

She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice as if sharing a fatal secret, "The core of Shrek City, that ancient golden tree said to have been passed down for ten thousand years—Your Majesty the Demon Emperor, do you think it's merely a tree?"

The Demon Emperor's eyes sharpened instantly: "What do you mean?"

"It has been rooted in Shrek City for ten thousand years, absorbing the essence of the plane and condensing faith, and has long since formed a profound connection with the life origin of the Douluo Plane! It itself is a manifestation node of the core power of the Douluo Plane, a huge storage device of life origin!" Ye Lan's voice carried a cold excitement. "If we can destroy it, or pollute or extract the vast life origin it contains, thus weakening the origin of the Douluo Plane, it will far exceed the total amount of time we have spent hunting down hundreds or thousands of Title Douluos! This is the real feast that will ultimately benefit Lord Hades!"

The Demon Queen was deeply shaken! Of course she knew the significance of the Golden Tree to Shrek Academy; it was a spiritual totem, a symbol of the Sea God's glory, and the final resting place of the spirits of the Sea God Pavilion's past leaders.

But she had never considered the "origin of life" as a possible direction! If what Ye Lan said was true, then the significance of destroying the Golden Tree far exceeded that of an ordinary act of destruction!

"I see," the Demon Emperor slowly exhaled, the last trace of doubt in his eyes dissipating, replaced by solemnity and determination. "It's good that you agree. This matter must be swift and decisive, a single, swift strike to eliminate any future troubles. At that time, your nine immortal knights must be deployed simultaneously to restrain or even severely injure Yun Ming and other top-tier combatants, creating an opportunity for our 'purification.'"

"Of course." Ye Lan readily agreed, but then his tone shifted, and his expression became unusually serious. "However, Your Majesty, there is something I must remind you. Yun Ming—his strength may be more troublesome than you anticipate."

"Oh?" The Demon Emperor raised an eyebrow.

"Over the years, I have clashed with him repeatedly, especially through my Undead Knights." Ye Lan's fingertips unconsciously tapped the coral tabletop. "I can clearly feel that Yun Ming's power attributes are changing. The damage he inflicts on the Undead Knights is increasingly taking on a peculiar 'purification' and 'annihilation' characteristic, no longer a simple physical or energy impact."

That power seemed to directly touch the core of the rules of death, weakening the very nature of immortality!

Ye Lan stared directly into the Demon Emperor's eyes and said, enunciating each word clearly, "I suspect—he may have already—refined the Golden Ancient Tree! Or at least, established a connection with it far deeper than any previous Pavilion Master! The Golden Ancient Tree contains the purest and most righteous power of life and light left behind by the Sea God! This power is precisely the nemesis of death and immortality!"

"Anyway, he now possesses this power."

"Refine the Golden Ancient Tree?!"

The Demon Emperor's pupils contracted sharply, and for the first time, an expression of disbelief appeared on his exquisite face.

As the spiritual symbol of Shrek Academy and the final resting place of the heroic spirit of the Sea God Pavilion Master, the Golden Ancient Tree is refined.

This is an act of blasphemy and betrayal of one's master and ancestors! Would the seemingly upright and noble Douluo Yun Ming do such a thing? She instinctively wanted to question it.

"Are you sure?" The Demon Emperor's voice was filled with deep doubt.

Ye Lan let out a short, cold laugh, his expression revealing the certainty of the controller: "My Undying Riders are the best sensors. The scars remaining on their bodies don't lie. The power of Yun Ming is increasingly mixed with the nauseatingly pure life force of the Golden Ancient Tree! Moreover, this force carries an almost predatory domineering quality! It's definitely not a simple borrowing!"

The Demon Queen fell silent. She knew Ye Lan; although this woman was mad, she was by no means one to speak carelessly, especially when it came to judging matters concerning the nature of power.

If Yun Ming truly dares to defy the world and meddle with or even refine the Golden Ancient Tree, then his strength has probably reached an unbelievable level, and he may even have touched that boundary! This undoubtedly greatly increases the variables and risks of the plan.

"Alright, I will take note." The Demon Emperor's voice was much lower as he firmly remembered this astonishing information.

"There's one more thing," Ye Lan seemed to remember something, her tone becoming casual yet carrying an undeniable weight, "Isn't the Spirit Pagoda still holding onto that 'lost' undead bone seed we 'lost'? Tell them to find a way to 'send' this hot potato to Shrek Academy or the Tang Sect as soon as possible. Since we're 'partners' now, it's not good to let the Spirit Pagoda or the Federation bear the pressure alone, right? If things are going to get chaotic, let's all be chaotic together."

The Demon Emperor gave Ye Lan a deep look, his gaze complex and unfathomable, which finally turned into a sigh tinged with admiration: "Heh, when it comes to using others to do one's bidding and stirring up trouble, you evil soul masters who manipulate people's hearts are indeed a cut above the rest."

Spirit Tower Headquarters, Superconducting Isolation Chamber No. 9.

The level of protection here surpasses even that of the original seventh isolation chamber. The walls, floors, and ceilings are all cast from top-grade energy-absorbing alloys that shimmer with a silver-gray metallic luster, and their thickness is astonishing.

Countless complex and dizzying soul-guiding runes flowed across the wall surface like living things, forming multiple superimposed energy fields. The dome was not a soul-guiding lamp, but rather directly simulated the pure stellar spectrum, illuminating the entire space in a stark white light, eliminating any blind spots or shadows.

The air purification system operated at full power, emitting a deep, resonant hum. The massive central cylindrical operating chamber was three times the size of its predecessor, constructed entirely of multiple layers of transparent, high-strength soul-guiding crystal walls. The spaces between these walls were filled with flowing liquid luminous energy, radiating a soft yet highly purifying glow. Inside, the number of sophisticated micro-mechanical arms and energy probes increased, their structures becoming more complex.

At this moment, floating inside the control cabin are the undead bone seed that exudes an eerie aura, and the rough and ancient-looking skull figurine.

The two were not far apart, but the isolation was well done, and they floated quietly, as if the earth-shattering fusion had never happened.

However, outside the control cabin, on the screens of dozens of large soul-guided analysis instruments, the complex data streams that refreshed like a waterfall, and the ever-high background energy readings, silently spoke of the danger and extraordinary nature of these two items.

The tower master of the Spirit Pagoda, whose presence was as imposing as an iron tower, was not seated in the comfortable observation area. He stood personally before the main control console, his towering figure like an iron tower, his face so solemn it seemed to drip water.

Behind him were the leaders and core researchers of the first, second, and third Soul Spirit Research Groups, the most elite members of the Spirit Pagoda. Each of them looked tense, their eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, yet they exuded an almost pathological focus and fervor.

The three-month research period has passed, and now the Spirit Pagoda is under pressure from other forces, who are offering too many benefits.

"Tower Master, the internal energy structure of Target A (Undead Bone Seed) remains extremely disordered, making deep probe penetration impossible. Forced stimulation may lead to uncontrollable energy leakage!"

"Target B (Skull Figurine) - This is too bizarre! All detection beams swept through it as if it were passing through air! Material analysis shows it's just an ordinary bone?"

"What about correlation analysis? Can that resonance from last time be reproduced?" Qian Gu Dongfeng's voice was hoarse, carrying an undeniable pressure.

An elderly researcher with gray hair and thick soul-guided glasses wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "Tower Master, we tried 731 known energy stimulation methods, including simulating the soul power fluctuations that Deputy Tower Master Leng might have emitted at the time—all of them had no effect. It's as if the two are completely insulated."

"What kind of excitement do you want?"

"Useless!" Qian Gu Dongfeng hissed, slamming his fist heavily on the sturdy alloy control panel with a dull thud that startled the surrounding researchers. He paced back and forth irritably, his gaze fixed like a hawk's on the two items inside the control panel. The skull figurine remained silent, its eye sockets hollow, as if silently mocking their futile efforts. The undead bone seed, on the other hand, exuded a chilling, deathly aura.

The research opportunity, gained at such a heavy cost, must it just be wasted without any progress? A strong sense of resentment welled up in Qian Gu Dongfeng's heart.

He abruptly stopped, pointed at the control room, and his voice carried a desperate, resolute edge: "Change our approach! Since energy stimulation is ineffective, let's try physical contact! Use the most precise soul-guided tweezers to collect the finest fragments from the surface of target B! Even just a single grain of powder! I, the tower master, must know exactly what it's made of!"

The order was given. Inside the control room, a soul-guided tweezer, made of a special energy-absorbing material with a tip as thin as a hair, was carefully manipulated by the researcher, like the most skillful scalpel, slowly extending towards the floating skull figurine.

Inside the isolation room, everyone's hearts were in their throats, and they held their breath. Qian Gu Dongfeng clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his eyes fixed on the slowly approaching tweezers.

Just as the soul-guided tweezers were about to touch the rough skull surface of the skull figurine, there was no warning whatsoever!

The skull figurine, which had been lifeless and mortal, suddenly shone with two faint, almost invisible gray-white lights deep in its empty eye sockets, as if sleeping stars had been ignited in an instant!

If Ye Lan were here, she would know that this is the reaction of sensing the original aura of the true self and reviving.

Qian Gu Dongfeng was startled. A coiled dragon staff appeared in his hand, and he struck down with it, trying to stop the aura from spreading.